Ornamental sheet material



A. WERTHEIM ORNAMENTAL SHEET MATERIAL Aug. 1, 1939.

Filed June 13, 1938 l lwf/ rill??? M Zinventor (Itto rneg Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES v v A 2,168,252

2,168,252 g g ORNAMENTAL SHEET MATERIAL Adolph Wertheim, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to I. Miller & Sons, Inc., Long Island City, 'N Y.,.

a corporation of New York Application Junis, 193s, Serial-No. 213,367

3 Claims. (01. 69-21)"; I

This invention relates to ornamental sheet material comprising. reptile skins and intended primarily for use as shoe-upper materials, although said material may be used for other purposes, as

for example in handbags, pocketbooks, etc.

More particularly, the invention is concerned with the larger reptile skins or skins having large scales, for example, such as the skins of alligators, and has for one of its objects to produce from such skins material which simulates in appearance the less common and more expensive reptile skins or skins having small scales.

The invention also has for one of its objects the utilization of substantially the entire skin of the reptile, that is the portions consisting of the larger scales as well as the more desirable portions which are constituted by the smaller scales.

Another object of the invention, particularly in connection with the general purpose of making available for use substantially the entire skin of an alligator or similar reptile, is to treat the skins and particularly those portions in which some of the scales have unattached, overhanging and overlapping portions, in such manner that such overlapping or overhanging portions are fastened down in position into the general plane of the skin.

The above objects of the invention and other objects which might hereinafter appear will be fully understood from the following description considered with reference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a shoe the upper of which is made of material embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a View of part of a skin of an alligator or similar reptile embodying the present invention, showing. the large scale portions of the skin and also the portions in which the scales overhang or overlap each other;

Fig. 3 is a view of a shoe-upperquarter made of the material shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing a shoe having an upper l0 composed of sheet material embodying the present invention. As here shown, the front or vamp portion [2 of the upper I0 is preferably composed of that portion of the reptile skin which has the relatively small scale portions I 4, while the quarters l6, one at each side of the shoe, are composed of the portions of the skin which are constituted by the larger scales of the skin; In accordance with the present invention, the larger scales have thin lines of stitching i 8 passed ther'ethrough and cooperating with the shallow and narrowgrooves 20 which ;5 occur in the skin between the edges of successive scales. As these grooves have a thread-like width, said lines of stitching closely simulate the appearance of said grooves with the result that the larger scales which are found in the skins 10 of the type referred to have the appearance of the smaller scales of the smaller reptiles or of the smaller scales which are found in the better or more desirable portions of the skins of the larger reptiles. 15

As illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the larger scale portions 22 are subdivided by the lines of stitching l8 mentioned above in reference to the quarters I6 of the shoe shown in Fig. 1. As previously stated, some of the scale portions 20 of the larger reptiles overlap each other and are free from direct attachment, except at their inner portions which are integral with the remaining parts of their respective scales. This is indicated in reference to the scale portions 24 shown 25 in Fig. 2,. the overlapping and unattached portions of these scales being indicated by the reference numeral 26. In accordance with the present invention, however, these larger scales and more particularly their overhanging and normal- 30 ly unattached portions 26 are fastened down in position by lines of zig-zag stitching 28. Said stitching 28 also serves to impart to the skin an appearance more closely simulating that of the small scale portions of the same or of differ- 35 ent reptiles. Preferably the stitching [8 as well as the stitching 26 matches the color of the skin and therefore more closely simulates in appearance the grooves or crease-lines 28 which outline the individual scales of the skin. 40

In practicing the present invention, the skin of the reptile is treated as usual for rendering the same suitable for use as shoe-upper material. After such treatment, the skin is stitched as indicated, by way of illustration, in Fig. 2. There- 45 after the skin is cut into the shape necessary to provide the shoe upper for shoe upper portions such as the vamp l2 and the quarters IS, the latter being shown in Fig. 3, after which said shoe upper portions may be utilized for making 50 the shoe in accordance with usual shoe manufacturing operations.

Thus it is seen that theskins embodying the features of the present invention are well adapted to accomplish the several objects of the latter. 5:;

It will be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as here shown and that in the illustrated embodiment certain changes may be made and will occur to those skilled in the art, particularly in view of the present disclosure. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited precisely to the form of the invention herein shown or described, except as may be required by the appended claims.-

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Ornamental sheet material of the character described comprising reptile skin having portions consisting of relatively large scales, and lines of stitching passed through said skin and disposed in said scales for imparting to said portions consisting of said relatively large scales the appearance of a reptile skin having substantially smaller scales, and lines of zig-zag stitching passed through portions of said skin at the scale-edges and overlapping adjacent scales at said edges.

2. Ornamental sheet material of the character described comprising reptile skin having portions consisting of relatively large scales, and lines of stitching passed through said skin and disposed in said scales for imparting to said portions consisting of said relatively large scales the appearance of a reptile skin having substantially smaller scales, said line of stitching simulating in appearance the natural crease lines in the skin between the scales thereof and lines of zig-zag stitching passed through portions of said skin at the scale-edges and overlapping adjacent scales at said edges,

3. Ornamental sheet material of the character described comprising reptile skin having portions consisting of relatively large scales, and lines of stitching passed through said skin and disposed in said scales for imparting to said portions consisting of said relatively large scales the appearance of a reptile skin having substantially smaller scales, said lines of stitching simulating in appearance the natural crease lines in the skin between the scales thereof and matching the color of the outer or exposed surface of said skin, and lines of zig-zag stitching passed through portions of said skin at the scale-edges and overlapping adjacent scales at said edges.

ADOLPH WERTHEIM. 

